Plot

The Jarretts are an upper-middle-class family in suburban Chicago trying to return to normal life after the death of one teenage son and the attempted suicide of their surviving son, Conrad (Timothy Hutton). Conrad has recently returned home from a four-month stay in a psychiatric hospital. He feels alienated from his friends and family and begins seeing a psychiatrist, Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch). Berger learns that Conrad was involved in a sailing accident in which his older brother, Buck, whom everyone idolized, died. Conrad now deals with post-traumatic stress disorder and survivor's guilt.

Ordinary People (novel)

Ordinary People is Judith Guest's first novel. Published in 1976, it tells the story of a year in the life of the Jarretts, an affluent suburban family trying to cope with the aftermath of two traumatic events.

Title

Plot summary

The novel begins as life is seemingly returning to normal for the Jarretts of Lake Forest, Illinois, in September 1975. It is slightly more than a year since their elder son "Buck" was killed when a sudden storm came up while he and their other son Conrad were sailing on Lake Michigan. Six months later, a severely depressed Conrad attempted suicide by slashing his wrists with a razor in the bathroom. His parents committed him to a psychiatric hospital from which he has only recently returned after four months of treatment. He is attending school and trying to resume his life, but knows he still has unresolved issues, particularly with his mother, Beth, who has never really recovered from Buck's death and keeps an almost maniacally perfect household and family.

The song is Walker's sixteenth single release, as well as his sixteenth Top forty hit on the Billboard country singles charts. However, it was his lowest charting single at the time of its release as well as his first single to miss the top twenty.

Content

The song describes how "ordinary people have extraordinary love." The narrator compares ordinary people to famous people.

Reception

Larry Flick of Billboard gave the song a positive rating "Cynics might be quick too dismiss the lyrics as being to syrupy. However, it's a sentiment that country music's core audience can relate to. Walker teams with James Stroud for production that is understated, while Walker turns in a plaintive, heartfelt performance."

Chart positions

"Ordinary People" is Walker's sixteenth Top 40 single on the Billboard country singles charts. The song spent nineteen weeks on the charts, peaking at number 35 on the chart week of July 4. It also peaked at number 22 on the RPM Country Tracks charts in Canada.

Ordinary People

(Swing Out Sister)What you see may only be skin deepBut what you feel inside is there for keepsCan't know happiness 'till you've been sadBut tears drown all the joy you ever hadTalkin' about peopleWho spreads wanton hurt?Talkin' about peopleStill waiting for their turnTalkin' about peopleLiving in uncertaintyOrdinary peoplePeople like you and meSeen your life before you slip awayHanging on to every Irish dayCan't keep up the faceBut can't slow downLife's a rat race there's no short way aroundTalkin' about peopleWho didn't make the grade?Talkin' about peopleWho's just another paid?Talkin about peopleHoldin' on for dignityOrdinary peoplePeople like you and meYou may have nothing else but you've got prideYou have nothing else but you've got prideUntil there's nothing to sacrificeWe'll surviveWe'll surviveTalkin' about peopleTalkin' about peopleExisting from day to dayTalkin' about peopleWho lost their way?Talkin' about peopleLiving by destinyOrdinary peopleLike you and meWhen hunger bites you deep down insideYou may have nothing else but you've got prideAnd when there's nowhere to run or hideYou'll find there's no short cut and there's noRewriteUntil there's nothing to sacrificeWe'll surviveNever give up till it's goneTogether we'll be strongWe'll survive(Spoken)In this we breathe the same airWe cherish our childrenNever give up until it's gone